Capture the Tag: A Collaborative, Location-Based Art Appreciation Game

Introducing students to locative gaming through an interactive art appreciation experience at the Hirshhorn Museum's Sculpture Garden.

Background
The Capture the Tag project was part of a youth camp initiative at the Hirshhorn Museum, aimed at blending technology, art, and play.

The Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum wanted to create a site-specific game for a youth camp that encouraged students to engage with the museum's sculpture garden. The challenge was to design a game that not only sparked art appreciation but also empowered students to modify and extend the game for their own creative purposes.

Solution
We developed Capture the Tag, a location-based game designed for the Hirshhorn Museum's Sculpture Garden, using the Aris game design platform. The game was created in collaboration with the Institute of Play and aimed to introduce students to the concept of locative gaming while fostering art appreciation.

Using the Aris game platform, we created a locative game that tied directly into the physical space of the sculpture garden, giving students a hands-on, interactive experience with the artworks.

In Capture the Tag, players were given a list of descriptive terms related to sculptures in the garden. Their objective was to explore the park, matching the terms to specific sculptures, effectively "capturing" the terms by interacting with the artwork. After completing the game, students were encouraged to hack the mechanics and create their own location-based mobile games, making the experience both educational and collaborative.

Role
As the lead Game Designer, I worked closely with David Carroll and the Institute of Play to ensure the game was engaging and easy to understand. I designed the core game mechanics, balancing educational objectives with the students’ freedom to explore and "hack" the game, encouraging creativity and deeper engagement.

Outcome
Capture the Tag successfully introduced students to the concept of location-based games while promoting art appreciation. The collaborative aspect of hacking the game provided students with a creative outlet to design their own locative games, fostering both technical skills and artistic exploration. The project was well-received, creating a lasting educational experience that went beyond the typical museum visit.